A flash flood has cut off parts of the Manaslu Circuit in a fresh blow to Nepal’s tourism industry.
This time, the flood hit the Budhi Gandaki River in the Gorkha district. While not as catastrophic as the glacial lake outburst flood in the Langtang Lirung area in late August, the flooding is still severe. A landslide caused the river to swell suddenly, washing away houses and bridges and damaging a hydropower plant, the BBC reported. Authorities have not recorded any fatalities, but some farmers remain unaccounted for.
Manaslu Circuit closed
The Bhudi Gandaki River flows south from mountains in the Manaslu region, and the flood severed the popular Manaslu Circuit in several sections. The Chum Valley is currently isolated after bridges were washed away. According to the Manaslu Conservation Area Project (MCAP), all trekkers in the area are fine. The Tourism Times reports that helicopters are airlifting some tourists back to Kathmandu.
“We have decided to cancel our Manaslu and Tsum treks for this autumn season based on advice from local authorities and our internal risk assessments,” Roland Hunter of The Mountain Company told ExplorersWeb. Instead, they are offering clients a trek through Upper Mustang followed by a crossing of Thorong La, the highest point on the Annapurna Circuit.
Poor weather also closed Thorong La for weeks after a snowy spell hit Nepal’s mountains. However, the trail recently reopened, and trekking groups have crossed the pass over the last five days. “There is a trail through the snow on the pass, and after sunny weather the snow has consolidated, reducing the risk of avalanche,” Hunter explained. “The road has been washed away lower down near Chame, although the trekking trail has been repaired so it is passable for trekking groups.”
Hunter said that many trekkers are now diverting to the Annapurna Circuit, and he presumes it will be busier than ever for the next few weeks.
Another blow to Nepal’s tourist industry
The Tourism Times also reports damaged trails on the Tashi Lapcha Pass, a high-altitude trekking route connecting the Rolwaling and Khumbu regions. Tashi Lapcha is one of the most challenging sections of the Great Himalaya Trail (GHT) and includes rock scrambling and fixed ropes that are currently damaged. The paper shared a report from IAM Trekking Guides:
The damaged section lies along the approach to the David Lama Bivouac shelter at Upper Jabo. Trekkers and climbers must use the fixed ropes and carefully scramble across the rocky terrain to proceed. The loss of footholds in such a steep section can increase the risk of a fall, particularly for groups carrying trekking or climbing equipment.
A damaged passage at Tashi Lapcha. Photo: IAM Trekking Guides
Those intending to hike in the area should ask their local trekking operators and tourism offices for updated information. According to India’s weather services, the monsoon officially left Nepal yesterday. Nepal’s peak trekking season begins now and lasts until the end of November.
